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You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. These teams have endured years in QB uncertainty, rotating through young players and temporary starters. In contrast, after only half a decade of searching, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – seem to have discovered their man.

Five years. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who looks like a elite player and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a road win in Buffalo, where Maye matched throws with Josh Allen and outplayed the current MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Coming off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had risk of a slump. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a large gain on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to respond, uncorking a long deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the go-ahead score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the protection to throw a perfect pass deep. After that, he didn’t let up: Maye dominated the Saints in all parts of the field. His first half was so impressive that even North Carolina was forced to tweet. He ended 18 completions on 26 attempts for over 250 yards with three touchdowns and zero giveaways. And it could have been more if not for a trio of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth consecutive outing with over 200 yards and a passer rating north of 100. Only the Chiefs' star, Dak Prescott, and the Hall of Famer have ever done that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on important plays. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to narrowly defeat the Saints. They struggled on the ground against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple big gains. This was a contest decided by Maye’s right arm. And he performed under pressure.

Maye took hits a few times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three touchdown passes under pressure, with each traveling 20 yards or more in the air.

It’s not just the numbers. It’s Maye's demeanor. He’s confident and composed in the pocket, bouncing through reads to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a somewhat erratic, fleeing the pocket at the first sign of trouble. But now, he’s been more like Brady, adapting to the structure of the scheme and getting the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

This year, Maye has 10 passing touchdowns, two running scores and just two interceptions. He’s halved his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was constantly trying to conjure magic out of failed schemes. Currently, he’s choosing wisely. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his capacity to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Too loose. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third tour as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being trusted. The Patriots are shapeshifting each week once more, and Maye is leading the offense like an experienced veteran.

His development has accelerated the Patriots' schedule. If there were to be second-year progress, you imagined it would be a slow burn. There would still be the highlight throws, while Maye spent the season trying to reduce his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. Instead, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his sophomore year, he’s become one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into playoff hopefuls again.

Chicago supporters will find solace in seeing the development of their rookie QB. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to wince. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots moved from the greatest of all time to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century searching – and never locate a solution.

Securing a franchise QB is about beyond victories. It changes the personality of a fan base and organization. For 20 years, the Pats lived the gilded life. But the recent years have been about failing to build a transition from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer now. Get ready for your Masshole friends to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

JSN, wide receiver, Seattle. Against a stifling Jaguars defense, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The receiver responded with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks edged the Jaguars 20-12. The Seahawks' D led the way, hounding the Jaguars' QB and sacking him a year-high seven times. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seahawks’ offense, making up all 117 of the team's early yards through the air. That included a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a receiver all year.

JSN outmaneuvered new Jaguars corner Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard touchdown.

Video of the Week

The Miami Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Chargers with 48 seconds left, after their QB found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Then, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey seized control.

WILD PLAY BY HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Hoo boy. That is brutal. Amazingly, Herbert was able to evade two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the first before tossing the other to the ground. He located his target in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning kick.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: squeaking by on the brilliance of Herbert and his surrounding playmakers as his offensive line struggles. And it sums up the Miami's D, too: a defensive pressure that struggles to finish and a weak coverage. With the loss, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Painful late-game failures have become common for the Dolphins. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to keep his position.

Notable Statistic

Negative 10. That’s the passing yardage the Jets' QB finished with in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Denver Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any game since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers started Ryan Leaf making his third professional start. Fields was in his 49th start.

We know who Fields is now: an exceptional runner who has difficulty to decipher the {passing game|pass